


What a Catch

by FinalDestiny13



Series: We'll Meet Again in Another Life - Multiple Cullen/Lavellan AUs [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, because reasons, mermaid au, yes a fucking mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-26
Updated: 2015-09-29
Packaged: 2018-04-23 11:00:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4874224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FinalDestiny13/pseuds/FinalDestiny13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by the prompt "merperson caught in a fisher's net au"</p>
<p>Cullen/Lavallen because reasons</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

The sun shined down brightly, the sea calm with gentle waves crashing against the ship known as  _S.S. Inquisition._  All in all, it was a perfect day for sailing the seas.

_Too_ perfect. Soon, a great storm would turn the sea into a relentless beast, attempting to destroy any vessel sailing it. The only question was  _when_.

The Commander of the ship sighed, a few locks of his blond hair brushing his forehead due to the gentle breeze. He could only await for any sign of the oncoming storm and hoped that his crew was prepared to deal with it in order to survive. He had treaded the waters too long to think a perfect day such as this would last very long.

"We caught something Captain!" shouted one of the men, him and three others hoisting up the netting they had set to catch fish for dinner. With a great heave, they brought the rather heavy net aboard, everyone halting when they spotted what they caught, the being struggling to escape the trap.  It was a woman but instead of legs, she had a pure white tail, scales glinting like silver from the sun's rays with each slap against the deck, the same color as her short, chin length hair. She was tan skinned with pointed ears and yellow eyes, much like a wolf's, and seaweed was wrapped around her chest like a makeshift bikini top.

Snapping out of his shock and awe, Commander Cullen rushed to halt one of the men from stabbing the  _mermaid_ (by the  _Maker),_ taking the knife himself with a sharp order to not kill the woman, siren, mermaid, whichever. Clearly, she was frightened to death of her current situation.

Cullen snapped at his men to stand back to give her much needed room before turning his attention back to her. He held his hands up in surrender, noticing she had ceased her struggling, yellow eyes staring  _(glaring?)_  at him, watching his every move. 

"I'm only going to cut the netting alright? You have my word," he spoke softly, not moving until she nodded her head after a few moments. Cullen was well aware that she watched where he cut the rope, something he did not blame her for. After all, he was just as different to her as she was to him. He stepped back when he finished, setting the knife down beside her in a way of showing that he nor his men meant any harm to the beautiful and rare creature. 

She pulled the net off her head, white tail slapping against the deck either in nervousness or irritation, possibly both. Yellow eyes clashed with blue as Cullen and the mermaid stared one another down, studying one another. Her sudden smile seemed to light up the world and was by far one of the second most beautiful things he had witnessed in his entire life, right after her. But then with a blink and a splash she was gone back into the deep ocean, the men rushing to the railings to catch another glimpse of the mermaid they had  _caught_  and  _set free._ A story they would tell for ages that no one else but them would likely believe. 

Lips pulled into a small smile before he resumed his duty, calling his men to attention and returning them back to work. Perhaps if he had some luck, they would meet again. Even if they did not, Cullen would never forget this day and nor would his crew.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's a second chapter that I literally woke up just to write because it was buzzing around in my head. Enjoy!

The low rumble of thunder filled the air before lightening struck the once calm, now raging waters, echoing loudly in the air like cymbals slammed against one another. Rain pelted down heavily on the frantic crew of  _S.S. Inquisition_  as waves crashed violently against their vessel, the ocean trying to swallow it whole in order to join the ever growing graveyard of shipwrecks forever resting in it's dark depths. Orders were shouted repeatedly in effort to be overheard by the raging storm, a grim look settling onto Cullen's face. The crew slipped and fell, quickly getting back up due to the sudden onslaught of water rushing it's way onto deck which receded back into the furious waters only to once again invaded the ship.

This was, by far, the worst storm that the Commander had been in in his entire career at sea. He wasn't sure if any one, let alone the ship, would be able to survive it. 

There was a sudden bang before shouts followed. "The hull is taking on water!" 

He really hated being right. If they somehow managed to patch the hull below, chances were it would not last long, the waves tearing at the ship relentlessly, gusts of wind blowing harshly and setting them off course constantly. 

"Orders Captain?" shouted one of the men over the ever constant roar of thunder. 

"Endure as best as we can and pray to whatever you believe in that we live to see tomorrow," he stated grimly.

\--------

"-up. Please." A soft caress of a hand on his face. Waves crashing gently against him lying down on land?

He sat up quickly with a gasp, turning around at the sudden  _eep!_ he heard from behind him. Cullen paused to catch his breath. Before him was the mermaid he had saved days ago. "It's you," he whispered in awe.

She glanced down at her hands in what seemed to be embarrassment, glancing up at him shyly with a hesitant but kind smile. "I'm glad that you're awake," she spoke softly, surprising him. Her voice was a beautiful sound of singsong. Maker, how was he so lucky to encounter such a creature again? He could do nothing but stare, making her slightly uncomfortable. "I'm sorry but you were the only one to survive."

Cullen closed his eyes, head bowed in silent mourning for his crew. He'd have to notify their families that they had died fighting with everything they had whenever he returned home. "Where are we?" he asked after a few moments, slightly surprised to see that she was still there, looking at him curiously.

"Land," she replied dryly causing him to bark in laughter. She giggled soon after, her laugh like wind chimes caressed by a slight breeze. 

"Maker, you're beautiful," Cullen stated unintentionally, both blushing. 

"As are you," she mumbled shyly, tail slapping the water once, nervously. She cleared her throat before continuing. "On the other side of the island is....what do you shemlens call them? Where all of your ships gather?" 

The way she furrowed her brow in thought was rather adorable. "A port?"

She grinned, snapping her fingers. "Yes! That! A port. I don't believe it's to far for you to get too but there are other's there constantly."

"Thank you."

She shook her head, lips pulled into a smile. "No, thank you. You're the first kind one I've met. Other's have tried to either kill me or keep me as a prize. Saving you was the least I could do in return." She sighed, expression now sad. "I'm sorry but I must go now."

"Wait!" Cullen reached out, grabbing her hand, noticing that her skin was slightly rough despite how soft it looked.  _Scales?_ Yellow eyes stared in surprise at him, but didn't pull away. She seemed to like it by the way her other hand lifted up to curiously trace his hand in awe. "May I know your name at least?" he asked hoarsely.

She continued her inspection of his hands, finger trailing the lines on his palm and gave him another one of her beautiful smiles that made him breathless. "Fen'Ian."

"Fen'Ian," he repeated, liking the way it rolled off his tongue with ease. He turned his hand back over to grab her own when she finished, curiosity satisfied, raising her hand up towards his lips and gave it a kiss, never once taking his eyes off her blushing face. Who knew she could turn such a lovely shade of red? "A pleasure to meet you. I am Cullen."

Her face flushed, she giggled. "And you as well, but truly I must go now...Cullen."

"Will I see you again?" he questioned cautiously. Fen'Ian stared, lips twitching, begging to smile. 

"Perhaps."

Satisfied, he let go of her hand to watch as she turned and made her way out to the deep sea, pausing once to look back with a smile and wave before disappearing into the ocean's murky depths once again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a wish is made and it's result.

Fen'Ian had visited him every day, the two bonding closely, and eventually falling for one another over the months spent in one another's company. Yes, it was a strange relationship, him a human and her part fish, but they made it work, their gestures and words telling the other of their evergrowing affection.  
Fen'Ian loved him so that she wished to walk, even live, on land to be with Cullen. And because of that love, one evening after saying her farewell to her love, Fen'Ian swam to the darkest depths where a warlock dwelled in one of it's caves.

The warlock was a pale merman with a bald head with a dark green tail who was called by many names but she simply knew him as Solas, one of her confidantes and a good friend who was kind enough to tell her stories and teach her many a things that he saw in his dreams about the world, both from within their home that was the sea and the land above where many species resided. 

"I have fallen for a shemlen up above and I believe that he has with me. I wish to walk and live with him for the rest of my life," she pleaded.

"Should I grant you your wish da'len," he began gravely. "There will be consequences and before you speak, I wish for you to hear and think them over carefully before you answer. First, is that once your tail becomes a pair of legs, each step you take will be nothing but agonizing pain for the rest of your days. Second, any form of water on land will revert you to your true self temporairally. Lastly, the moment you step foot into the ocean, the spell will break permenately. That said, I must ask you this: is this one you love worth all the pain you will suffer and are you content leaving friends and family behind?"

He watched her as she closed her eyes, weighing her options. Minutes, perhaps even hours, passed before she took a deep breath, expression one of happiness and adoration. It was such a beautiful sight that Solas wished nothing but happiness for her. "He is," was her long awaited reply. "What must I give in return for my wish?"

Solas shook his head, a grim smile on his face. "You will suffer enough pain to be with the one you love so I shall not nor do I wish to add on to it. All I ask is that you be happy with this man you fell in love with da'len." He leaned forward, placing a kiss upon her forehead, Fen'Ian feeling a tingle rush through her body causing her to shiver. "I wish you all the best in this world my friend. Now go before the spell takes hold."

With a nod and a quick hug to her friend, Fen'Ian swam off to the shore where her and Cullen met every day, a bubbling of both excitement and fear welling up within her for his reaction.  
\-------

To say Cullen was surprised was an understatement the next morning upon finding Fen'Ian unconscious on shore. He was completely and utterly flabbergasted that there was magic that could turn a mermaid into a human. Though it did make sense as there were a few, very few, mages whom could transform into a dragon. Still, to think that Fen'Ian had done all this just for him, really told Cullen how much she loved him. The least he could do, besides return her affection which she already had, mermaid or not, was take care of her and teach her how to be human. And so he proposed to her then and there, with her half naked (he blushed, just realizing she was naked from the waist down) and hugging him and shouting in surprise with tears down her face in happiness and slight pain. She had said yes and the two couldn't be happier. 

But first, Cullen needed to get her some proper clothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest, I was going to end this with no happy ending but that made me too upset so I nixed that idea with something like not getting to the surface in time and drowning or shortening her life span to a couple of years. Something dark really. 
> 
> Instead I went this route because it made me happy despite how quickly I wrapped it up. I'm half-tempted to write a couple of one shots for this AU of Fen'Ian trying her best to be a human.


End file.
